At the PDP Retreat for Elected Officials held in Bauchi, the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, expressed his criticism towards President Ahmed Bola Tinubu for removing fuel subsidy without taking into consideration the need for palliatives or engaging in discussions with the affected sectors of the economy beforehand.
News About Nigeria reports that this jab at President Tinubu was made by Atiku on Saturday during the retreat.
In his inaugural speech on Monday, President Tinubu boldly declared the removal of fuel subsidy, which subsequently led to panic buying and a significant hike in pump prices by almost 300 percent within two days.
Atiku, however, took the opportunity to reflect on the past, mentioning that during the period between 1999 and 2007, the PDP government initiated the removal of petroleum subsidy.
Atiku himself chaired the committee overseeing this initiative.
Atiku emphasized that the PDP government handled the removal of fuel subsidy in two phases, but only after providing palliatives to mitigate the impact on those most affected by the subsidy removal.
Drawing from his party’s experience in governance, Atiku argued that the appropriate approach would have been to engage in discussions with the affected sectors of the economy before simply announcing the removal of the subsidy.
He believes that Nigerians should recognize the temporary losses they are experiencing and appreciate the measures that could have been taken to address their concerns.
It is important to note that Atiku, who secured the second position in the presidential election held on February 25, has filed a legal challenge against Tinubu’s victory.
